Calif walloped as snow falls across northern US

A snow blower clears a road after an overnight storm dropped several inches of snow near Echo Summit Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Despite recent storms which brought much needed snow to the Sierra Nevada, the California Department of Water Resources snow survey showed the snow pack to be 17.7 inches deep with a water content of 3.9 inches_ which is only 16 percent of normal for this location at this time of the year. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
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A snow blower clears a road after an overnight storm dropped several inches of snow near Echo Summit Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Despite recent storms which brought much needed snow to the Sierra Nevada, the California Department of Water Resources snow survey showed the snow pack to be 17.7 inches deep with a water content of 3.9 inches_ which is only 16 percent of normal for this location at this time of the year. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
/ AP

The National Weather Service said the snow level dropped to 3,000 feet in the northern Sierra Nevada. An inch of snow was falling each hour, and forecasters expected at least eight more inches into Thursday.

Although sunny skies were forecast for the weekend, the storm was expected to pick up strength overnight before bringing another two feet of snow and the possibility of 100 mile per hour wind gusts to the northern Sierra during Thursday's morning commute.

With white-out conditions expected on some highways, the National Weather Service warned motorists who had grown accustomed to clear winter roads to stock their vehicles with blankets, food, water and flashlights.

"Skiers can go have all of the fun they want on the weekend. It worked out perfectly," said weather forecaster Powell. "It should be plowed out and there should be plenty of fresh powder."

Strong winds and heavy rain made for difficult driving conditions on San Francisco Bay area roads. At least two bridges - the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - were under a high-wind advisory. Caltrans said travel wasn't recommended for big-rigs, motorhomes and drivers pulling trailers.

The National Weather Service also issued a high surf advisory for the San Francisco and Monterey bay areas, warning that the turbulent weather could produce waves up to 15-feet high and strong rip currents.

The Northern California storm could ease fears among the 29 agencies that depend on snowmelt delivered through the State Water Project. Some farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley already have been told to expect just half of the water they requested for the spring and summer growing seasons.

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Associated Press writers Dave Kolpack and Blake Nicholson in Fargo, N.D., and Terry Collins, Louise Chu and Sudhin Thanawala in San Francisco contributed to this report.